Birds to See in Australia in October
97 bird species on our list for Australia are recorded regularly in October
Of these, the most often recorded are Australian Magpie, Rainbow Lorikeet, Willie Wagtail, Galah and Red Wattlebird. New this month: Arctic Jaeger, Pomarine Jaeger, Lesser Noddy and Long-tailed Jaeger and 3 more.
On the move in October
GBIF · OctArriving
At their peak
Leaving soon
From Australia’s bird records, 2019–2024: arriving birds are regular this month but not last; leaving birds are regular this month but not next.
Other months
All 97 birds in October
97 birds
Australian MagpieGymnorhina tibicenResidentCommon37–43 cmRecorded all year · 2.48% in Oct
Rainbow LorikeetTrichoglossus moluccanusResidentCommon25–30 cmRecorded all year · 1.69% in Oct
Willie WagtailRhipidura leucophrysResidentCommon19–22 cmRecorded all year · 1.56% in Oct
GalahEolophus roseicapillaResidentCommon35–38 cmRecorded all year · 1.43% in Oct
Red WattlebirdAnthochaera carunculataResidentCommon33–37 cmRecorded all year · 1.37% in Oct
Laughing KookaburraDacelo novaeguineaeResidentCommon41–47 cmRecorded all year · 1.13% in Oct
Australian RavenCorvus coronoidesResidentCommon46–53 cmRecorded all year · 0.98% in Oct
Common StarlingSturnus vulgarisResidentCommon21–23 cmRecorded all year · 0.89% in Oct
BlackbirdTurdus merulaResidentCommon24–25 cmRecorded all year · 0.74% in Oct
CootFulica atraResidentCommon36–42 cmRecorded all year · 0.69% in Oct
New Holland HoneyeaterPhylidonyris novaehollandiaeResidentCommon16–20 cmRecorded all year · 0.66% in Oct
Black SwanCygnus atratusResidentCommon110–142 cmRecorded all year · 0.54% in Oct
Eastern Yellow RobinEopsaltria australisResidentCommon15–16 cmRecorded all year · 0.54% in Oct
House SparrowPasser domesticusResidentCommon14–17 cmRecorded all year · 0.52% in Oct
Little WattlebirdAnthochaera chrysopteraResidentCommon25–30 cmRecorded all year · 0.50% in Oct
Rock DoveColumba liviaResidentCommon29–37 cmRecorded all year · 0.49% in Oct
Red-browed FinchNeochmia temporalisResidentCommon11–12 cmRecorded all year · 0.47% in Oct
Great White EgretArdea albaResidentCommon80–104 cmRecorded all year · 0.47% in Oct
Whistling KiteHaliastur sphenurusResidentCommon50–60 cmRecorded all year · 0.46% in Oct
Australian King-parrotAlisterus scapularisResidentUncommon40–43 cmRecorded all year · 0.41% in Oct
Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carboResidentUncommon80–100 cmRecorded all year · 0.37% in Oct
Little EgretEgretta garzettaResidentUncommon55–65 cmRecorded all year · 0.23% in Oct
European GoldfinchCarduelis carduelisResidentUncommon12–13 cmRecorded all year · 0.21% in Oct
Sharp-tailed SandpiperCalidris acuminataSummer visitorUncommon17–22 cmRegularly Aug–Apr · 0.18% in Oct
Bar-tailed GodwitLimosa lapponicaResidentUncommon37–41 cmRecorded all year · 0.16% in Oct
OspreyPandion haliaetusResidentUncommon54–58 cmRecorded all year · 0.15% in Oct
WhimbrelNumenius phaeopusResidentUncommon40–46 cmRecorded all year · 0.12% in Oct
Eurasian SkylarkAlauda arvensisResidentUncommon16–18 cmRecorded all year · 0.12% in Oct
ApostlebirdStruthidea cinereaResidentUncommon29–33 cmRecorded all year · 0.11% in Oct
White-cheeked HoneyeaterPhylidonyris nigerResidentUncommon16–20 cmRecorded all year · 0.10% in Oct
EmuDromaius novaehollandiaeResidentUncommon150–190 cmRecorded all year · 0.10% in Oct
Blue-winged KookaburraDacelo leachiiResidentUncommon38–41 cmRecorded all year · 0.09% in Oct
CockatielNymphicus hollandicusResidentUncommon30–33 cmRecorded all year · 0.09% in Oct
Great Crested GrebePodiceps cristatusResidentUncommon46–51 cmRecorded all year · 0.09% in Oct
GreenshankTringa nebulariaSummer visitorUncommon30–35 cmRecorded all year · 0.09% in Oct
Common SandpiperActitis hypoleucosSummer visitorUncommon18–20 cmRegularly Jul–Apr · 0.08% in Oct
BrolgaAntigone rubicundaResidentUncommon100–140 cmRecorded all year · 0.08% in Oct
Glossy IbisPlegadis falcinellusResidentUncommon48–66 cmRecorded all year · 0.08% in Oct
Pacific Golden-PloverPluvialis fulvaSummer visitorUncommon23–26 cmRecorded all year · 0.08% in Oct
Australian HobbyFalco longipennisResidentUncommon30–35 cmRecorded all year · 0.08% in Oct
Curlew SandpiperCalidris ferrugineaSummer visitorUncommon18–23 cmRecorded all year · 0.07% in Oct
Ruddy TurnstoneArenaria interpresResidentUncommon21–24 cmRecorded all year · 0.07% in Oct
Yellow WattlebirdAnthochaera paradoxaResidentUncommon37–45 cmRecorded all year · 0.07% in Oct
BudgerigarMelopsittacus undulatusResidentUncommon18–20 cmRecorded all year · 0.07% in Oct
Metallic StarlingAplonis metallicaResidentUncommon22–25 cmRecorded all year · 0.07% in Oct
Purple-crowned LorikeetGlossopsitta porphyrocephalaResidentUncommon15–17 cmRecorded all year · 0.06% in Oct
MallardAnas platyrhynchosResidentUncommon50–65 cmRecorded all year · 0.06% in Oct
Little TernSternula albifronsSummer visitorUncommon21–25 cmRecorded all year · 0.06% in Oct
GreenfinchChloris chlorisResidentUncommon15–16 cmRecorded all year · 0.06% in Oct
Peregrine FalconFalco peregrinusResidentUncommon34–58 cmRecorded all year · 0.06% in Oct
Mulga ParrotPsephotellus variusResidentUncommon27–32 cmRecorded all year · 0.05% in Oct
Rose RobinPetroica roseaWinter visitorUncommon11–13 cmRecorded all year · 0.04% in Oct
Red KnotCalidris canutusResidentRare23–26 cmRecorded all year · 0.04% in Oct
Black-tailed GodwitLimosa limosaResidentRare40–44 cmRecorded all year · 0.04% in Oct
Grey PloverPluvialis squatarolaSummer visitorRare27–30 cmRecorded all year · 0.03% in Oct
Australian BustardArdeotis australisResidentRare100–140 cmRecorded all year · 0.03% in Oct
Wood SandpiperTringa glareolaSummer visitorRare19–21 cmRegularly Jul–Apr · 0.03% in Oct
Scaly-breasted MuniaLonchura punctulataResidentRare11–12 cmRecorded all year · 0.03% in Oct
Common TernSterna hirundoSummer visitorUncommon31–35 cmRecorded all year · 0.02% in Oct
Long-tailed FinchPoephila acuticaudaResidentRare15–17 cmRecorded all year · 0.02% in Oct
SanderlingCalidris albaSummer visitorRare18–20 cmRecorded all year · 0.02% in Oct
Muscovy DuckCairina moschataResidentRare66–84 cmRecorded all year · 0.02% in Oct
Western WattlebirdAnthochaera lunulataResidentRare33–38 cmRecorded all year · 0.02% in Oct
Sarus CraneGrus antigoneResidentRare152–156 cmRegularly Apr–Jan · 0.02% in Oct
Gull-billed TernGelochelidon niloticaResidentRare33–42 cmRecorded all year · 0.01% in Oct
Helmeted GuineafowlNumida meleagrisResidentRare53–63 cmRecorded all year · 0.01% in Oct
White-winged TernChlidonias leucopterusSummer visitorRare20–27 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.01% in Oct
Southern CassowaryCasuarius casuariusResidentRare127–170 cmRecorded all year · 0.01% in Oct
Little PenguinEudyptula minorResidentRare30–40 cmRecorded all year · 0.01% in Oct
Indian PeafowlPavo cristatusResidentRare86–230 cmRecorded all year · 0.01% in Oct
RedthroatPyrrholaemus brunneusResidentRare12–14 cmRecorded all year · 0.01% in Oct
Eurasian Tree SparrowPasser montanusResidentRare13–14 cmRecorded all year · 0.01% in Oct
Gouldian FinchChloebia gouldiaeWinter visitorRare13–14 cmRecorded all year · 0.01% in Oct
Roseate TernSterna dougalliiResidentRare33–41 cmRecorded all year · 0.01% in Oct
White-chinned PetrelProcellaria aequinoctialisSummer visitorRare50–58 cmRecorded all year · 0.00% in Oct
Sooty ShearwaterArdenna griseaResidentRare40–51 cmRecorded all year · 0.00% in Oct
Arctic JaegerStercorarius parasiticusSummer visitorRare41–46 cmRegularly Oct–Jun · 0.00% in Oct
Pectoral SandpiperCalidris melanotosSummer visitorRare19–23 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.00% in Oct
Song ThrushTurdus philomelosResidentRare20–23 cmRecorded all year · 0.00% in Oct
RedshankTringa totanusPassage migrantRare27–29 cmRegularly Feb–Dec · 0.00% in Oct
Barn SwallowHirundo rusticaSummer visitorRare17–19 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.00% in Oct
Red JunglefowlGallus gallusResidentRare42–75 cmRecorded all year · 0.00% in Oct
Ringed PloverCharadrius hiaticulaPassage migrantRare17–19 cmRegularly Sep–Nov · 0.00% in Oct
Southern Royal AlbatrossDiomedea epomophoraResidentRare115–123 cmRecorded all year · 0.00% in Oct
Wandering AlbatrossDiomedea exulansResidentRare107–135 cmRecorded all year · 0.00% in Oct
Pomarine JaegerStercorarius pomarinusSummer visitorRare46–51 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.00% in Oct
Greylag GooseAnser anserResidentRare75–90 cmRecorded all year · 0.00% in Oct
Long-tailed JaegerStercorarius longicaudusSummer visitorRare48–58 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.00% in Oct
RuffCalidris pugnaxSummer visitorRare20–32 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.00% in Oct
Rose-ringed ParakeetPsittacula krameriResidentRare38–42 cmRecorded all year · 0.00% in Oct
Semipalmated PloverCharadrius semipalmatusSummer visitorRare17–19 cmRegularly Oct–Jan · 0.00% in Oct
Wild TurkeyMeleagris gallopavoResidentRare100–125 cmRecorded all year · 0.00% in Oct
Lesser NoddyAnous tenuirostrisPassage migrantRare30–34 cmRegularly Aug–May · 0.00% in Oct
Hudsonian GodwitLimosa haemasticaPassage migrantRare36–42 cmRegularly May–Oct · 0.00% in Oct
Little Ringed PloverThinornis dubiusSummer visitorRare14–17 cmRegularly Sep–Feb · 0.00% in Oct
Common PheasantPhasianus colchicusSummer visitorRare50–90 cmRecorded all year · 0.00% in Oct
Little StintCalidris minutaSummer visitorRare13–15 cmRegularly Oct–Jan · 0.00% in Oct
Data: EOD – eBird Observation Dataset (Cornell Lab of Ornithology), accessed via GBIF.org, CC BY 4.0. Records from 2019–2024, aggregated and filtered by Birdfact. How these lists are made